We arrived a bit late for the Memorial Day service. They were saying the prayers as we walked closer. I regretted missing the message from the speaker, hearing the band, and yet, I was glad I'd taken the time to pick up my boys and bring them here. We heard the 21 gun salute. We saw the soldiers pause and reflect. We were reminded of the extreme sacrifice of many so that we could enjoy living in freedom.
The boys noticed new things this year - all the flags for the soldiers, the larger headstones for families who lived and died here, and how large the cemetery is. I explained that not everyone buried here is a soldier. It's a community cemetery that goes back about 100 years.
I felt grateful to be walking around above ground, to have my boys at my side, and to watch them play. We stopped at a playground where I soaked in the sun and the joy of the day, took pictures, and wondered how long they'd still like playing at playgrounds.
How long will they feel the carefree life of being a kid?
And, I felt grateful that my home has not experienced disaster, especially after reading Doris' blog, "Hold my Hand" a social worker's blog, which has a moving story of how the medical community responded to the disaster in Joplin, MO. Dr. Kevin Kikta wrote about the chaos and the care during the first hours of the devastation. He writes, "Tragedy has a way of revealing human goodness."
Go. Create. Inspire!
Journaling Prompt: What are you feeling grateful for today?
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